The area is one of my favourite spots in the city
Norman has lived in the area for almost 80 years(Image: Liverpool Echo)
For years I’ve longed to have my own dream Georgian town house, built tall with white brick, sliding sash windows and pillars that stand tall outside. But living 196 miles from Chelsea I always deemed that pretty impossible.
Until I discovered the beautiful hidden gem that is Falkner Square in the heart of the Georgian Quarter. The stunning square is arguably my favourite residential area of Liverpool.
Falkner Square is a leafy green garden surrounded by the most beautiful rows of terraced houses in the Canning area of Liverpool. It’s less than a 20 minute walk from the city centre, close to the beautiful cathedral and a short distance from some of the city’s most popular parks like Princes and Sefton.
For Norman Williams, 79, it’s a place he has called home all of his life – and I’m just going to put it out there, but he’s one lucky man. Norman told the ECHO how much has changed in the area during his lifetime here.
He said: “I’ve always lived round here, my mother was born here and I now live in these houses here [pointing to the gorgeous row of terraced houses which are now elderly residential housing].
Falkner Square in the heart of the Georgian Quarter(Image: Colin Lane/Liverpool Echo)
“After the war a lot of these houses were all demolished, it was a shame because they are lovely houses. Now, everyone is wanting to move back to the area and they cost up to £1m each.”
It’s always been a lovely area, says Norman, in fact during Victorian times Falkland Garden was a park only for “rich people.” He told the ECHO how residents would have their own key to access the green space. He said: “Many of the merchants from the docks lived here, it was full of rich people in the big houses.
“It’s still a lovely area now with so much history. I’ve always loved living here, it’s quiet but on a weekend you often get people coming to the square. Sometimes there will be people playing music in there and the sound is lovely to listen to.”
And it’s not hard to see why the Norman has never moved from the area. Earlier this week I sat on a bench in the vibrant square watching the world go by and I’d never felt so content.
There were dog walkers strolling by, people enjoying a slow morning sat in the park in the beautiful summer sunshine, mums pushing prams and even people using the space as a work-out spot – now I’d definitely not avoid working out if this is where I was doing my burpees.
Sitting here you can just imagine the perfect life, waking up on a Saturday morning, having a slow morning and then walking into town for a coffee before heading back to start the day. Or, sitting and working, while peering out one of those huge windows – the kind with pretty little window boxes full of colourful flowers – onto the leafy square below – it’s the dream.
The beautiful buildings have large sash windows and tall pillars either side of the door(Image: Liverpool Echo)
For mum, Robyn, 36, it’s her reality. She told the ECHO how “amazing” the views are from inside her home. She said: “I love the area, aesthetically it’s beautiful, we have a lovely view and it’s nice to be in the city.”
Robyn moved to Falkner Street with her family almost ten years ago and has loved living in such close proximity to the city centre since. I told her how much the houses remind me of those in Chelsea and she agreed.
She said: “Comparing them to Chelsea, they will be paying millions of pounds to live in homes like this and we get it here so close to town.”